“Ten years for trees, a hundred years for people.” In the face of recent changes and transformations in the education sector, educational architecture has gained increased attention, presenting greater design challenges. A campus not only embodies the school’s educational spirit but also subtly influences students both inside and outside the classroom. As a companion and guide for young people’s growth, campus spaces urgently need to break away from uniform stereotypes, refocus design on the users, inspire self-awareness, encourage communication among groups, and foster connections with nature.
Located in the Longxing area of Liangjiang New District, Chongqing, this project is situated next to the city’s main road and light rail station, facing a city park across the river. The surrounding area is primarily residential. The site slopes from northwest to southeast. The design cleverly uses this elevation difference to layer and integrate the landscape, connecting campus public spaces with building rooftops to create an outdoor platform. This platform serves as the main hub for student interaction after class and links all teaching buildings.
The outdoor platform follows the natural terrain with gentle ups and downs, resembling a garden emerging from the site and blending the school seamlessly into the landscape. It creates an engaging architectural environment that fosters a free and inclusive atmosphere, opening a window for children to discover and explore their future.
Breaking away from traditional closed and singular layouts, this project integrates the building volumes into the environment, creating a natural haven for children within the city. The northern campus area houses six teaching buildings for grades 1 through 6, each with distinct facades and colors, arranged along the site’s edge. Students move to a new building each year, symbolizing their academic growth and achievement through time and space.
The central campus features sports, etiquette, and administrative areas, complemented by a sunken plaza within the teaching zone, creating a learning environment surrounded by forest. Public spaces and rooftop gardens form external platforms, inviting children to explore immediately after class. Additionally, two farmlands on the northeast and northwest sides are allocated, with each class responsible for cultivating a plot. This hands-on approach nurtures children’s vitality and courage through play, labor, and harvest.
Project Drawings
△ Model Diagram
△ Model Diagram
△ Master Site Plan
△ First Floor Layout
△ Dormitory Building “Family” Unit
△ First Floor Dormitory Spatial Layout
△ Teaching Building Axis Diagram
△ Teaching Area Spatial Relationship
△ Teaching Building Perspective Analysis
△ Comprehensive Building Section Perspective
Project Information
Project Name: Chongqing Liangjiang People’s Primary School
Location: Liangjiang New Area, Chongqing
Address: Plot F15-3/04 (A33), Longxing Cluster
Project Type: Campus Architecture
Design Period: October 2016 – April 2018
Construction Start: August 2019
Project Size: 53,585 square meters
Design Firm: Gad
Project Director: Wu Han
Lead Designer: Tan Si
Team Members:
Architecture: Wu Han, Tan Si, Yu Yuan, Hu Mingqi, Zeng Wei, Zeng Siyuan
Structure: Huang Jia, Guo Junjie, Zhou Bo, He Huan
Water Supply and Drainage: Zhou Fengyuan, Zhao Dan, Wang Zhu, Xu Lansen
HVAC: Xia Jidong, Yang Shengli, Su Xiqing
Electrical: Zhou Xingyue, Li Dongjin, Huang Chunlei, Mei Hong
Additional Participants:
Interior Design: Chongqing Design Institute
Landscape Design: Chongqing Liangjiang New Area Municipal Landscape Construction Co., Ltd
Owner: Chongqing Liangjiang New Area Xinnan Education Information Consulting Service Co., Ltd
Photography: Shiromio Studio, featuring architecture by Gad
Structural Techniques: Frame structure, large-span prestressed structure, steel truss roof
Building Materials: Paint, cement fiberboard, perforated metal panels, glass curtain walls
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